Parties in Power: What Shapes Priorities

By Mark Gaffney, Head of Policy at Scottish Disability Sport 

While whichever party is in control undoubtedly frames legislative direction, influence in Scotland is more nuanced than simple majority rule.

• The governing party (or parties) set budgets, shape national strategies (such as sport and health frameworks), and control most legislative time.
• Opposition parties influence through First Minster Questions (FMQs), scrutiny, amendments, and committee work.
• Smaller parties and individual MSPs can exercise disproportionate influence where parliamentary margins are tight.

For disability sport, this creates several practical realities:

1. Policy Windows Are Political

Investment in inclusive sport and physical activity often aligns with broader agendas—public health improvement, tackling inequality, or community regeneration. Engagement is most effective when framed within those priorities rather than positioned as a standalone “special interest.” Historically – and indeed, currently – the challenge has been to get the Scottish Government and opposition parties to see sport as a priority area. This remains the central challenge for SGBs and other associated organisations in Scotland.  

2. Cross-Party Support Matters

Disability sport rarely divides along party lines, but it can fall between them if not actively championed. Building relationships across parties increases the likelihood that:

• Issues are raised in debates regardless of who is in power
• Amendments are supported during budget negotiations
• Committee inquiries include disability-specific evidence

3. Committees Are Critical

Much of the meaningful work happens away from headline debates. Committees covering health, education, and social justice are key sites where disability sport concerns—such as access, funding equity, or data gaps—can be formally examined. This is why evidencing impact through data, research and insights is important.

 

Engagement Through a Disability Sport Lens

If the structures of power are complex, so too must be the approaches to engagement. Disability sport provides a particularly strong framework because it connects visibility, participation, and rights.

1. From Storytelling to Evidence

Personal stories matter—but on their own they are often insufficient to drive policy change. Effective engagement pairs lived experience with:

• Participation data (who is excluded and why)
• Cost-benefit analysis (e.g. preventative health savings)
• Comparisons with non-disabled participation rates
• Strength in numbers – join forces with organisations with similar aims and objectives

MSPs—especially those in committees—respond to evidence that can shape policy, not just illustrate gaps.

2. Local Anchoring, National Framing

A wheelchair user unable to access a local sports hall is a constituency issue. But when that story is repeated across regions, it becomes a national policy failure.

The most effective engagement strategies:

• Start with constituency MSPs to resolve or highlight the issue
• Escalate through regional MSPs and party spokespeople
• Feed into committee evidence, cross-party groups and national campaigns

This layered approach mirrors how decisions are made.

3. Aligning With Existing Policy Agendas

Disability sport gains traction when linked to broader government priorities. For example:

• Health: Positioning participation as reducing long-term NHS demand
• Education: Highlighting inclusive PE and transitions into lifelong sport
• Economy: Emphasising employment pathways within sport for disabled people

This alignment makes it harder for policymakers to treat disability sport as optional.

 

Barriers to Engagement Still Persist

Despite structural opportunities, there remain persistent barriers:

• Accessibility of political processes: Meetings, consultations, and documents are not always accessible or inclusive (although improvements have been made recently)
• Capacity of disabled people’s organisations: Many are under-resourced and cannot sustain ongoing engagement
• Fragmentation: Sport, health, and disability policy often operate in silos

These barriers mean that opportunities for influence are unevenly distributed—and often exclude those most affected.

 

What Should Change in This Parliamentary Term

If the post‑election period is to deliver meaningful progress for disability sport, three shifts are needed:

1. Proactive Outreach by MSPs

Rather than relying on organisations to initiate engagement, MSPs—both constituency and regional—should actively build relationships with disability sport groups and participants, so feel free to hold them accountable for doing so.

2. Embedding Disability Sport in Scrutiny

Committees should consistently examine inclusion within sport, not as an occasional topic but as a recurring accountability issue.

3. Supporting Participation in Decision-Making

This includes:

• Funding for representative organisations
• Accessible consultation processes
• Paid opportunities for disabled people to contribute expertise

 

A System That Requires Navigation—and Change

The Scottish Parliament offers multiple routes to influence, but they are not always obvious or equally accessible. For those working in disability sport, success depends on understanding how constituency advocacy, regional influence, and party dynamics interact.

The challenge after this election is not simply whether disability sport appears in policy documents—it is whether disabled people can consistently shape those policies at every level.

Because real inclusion in sport is not achieved on the field, court or sports hall alone. It is built in how decisions are made, who is heard, and whether power is genuinely shared and proportionate.

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